R.70
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832.
State of New York SS.
On this 1st day of January 1833 personally appeared before the Court of Common pleas of the county of Suffolk John Alben a resident of the Town of Huntington in the said County of Suffolk and State of New York aged eighty one years and seven months who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the year 1776 in a company commanded by Captain Daniel Roe, in Colonel William Henry Livingston’s Regiment and served in that company and regiment for a period of seven months. That Nathaniel Norton was Lieutenant of the said company and George Smith was major of the said Regiment. That he then resided in the Town of Brookhaven in the said County. That this deponent was stationed with his said company and two other companies one commanded by Capt.’n Griffin and the other by Capt’n Davis the whole commanded by Col. Livingston at Oyster Pond Point in the said County where they remained until Long Island was given up to the British in August 1776 when this deponent crossed the Sound with the said companies to Saybrook and went from thence to New Haven and from thence to Fort Montgomery where this deponent received his discharge.
That soon after his said discharge he enlisted in a company of Rangers of which Samuel Delaran was Captain, and said Delaran was Ensign at North Salem in the State of New York for the term of nine months. The exact date of such enlistment he does not recollect, but it was in the fall of 1776. That he served under this enlistment in Westchester County and was engaged in a skirmish at Stephen Ward’s house in East Chester when his company was attacked by the British commanded by Major Campbell. That this deponet’s company retreated from the house that night, but returned the next day when the British had left there. And assisted in burying the dead among whom was Major Campbell. That this deponent served in that company until his term of service had expired when he received his discharge.
That a fortnight said term had expired, this deponent enlisted at North Salem aforesaid in the army of the United States with Captain Henry Godwin and served in Colonel Lewis Dubois’ regiment in General James Clinton’s Brigade in the New York line under the following officers besides those just named. The company officers were, the said Captain, Lieutenants Henry Dodge and Pembleton and Ensign Abraham Leggett. The major was Henry Dubois (brother of the Colonel). That this deponent enlisted as last aforesaid as a sergeant. That a fortnight after such last enlistment when the term of his said second enlistment had expired, he rejoined to Fort Montgomery where he joined his company. That he enlisted as last aforesaid for the term of three years, and served that term out and three months more. That during the first part of that period he acted as recruiting sergeant and [?] many recruits in New England and the State of New York. That he was present when Fort Montgomery was taken by the British under Sir Henry Clinton when the fort was commanded by General James Clinton. That this deponent after serving three years under his said last enlistment received a regular written discharge. That he lost his first two discharges and his last discharge was burnt when this deponent’s house and furniture were consumed by fire on the 27th day of March 1826—That this deponent cannot now recollect the exact dates of either of his enlistments. That the first two however were in 1776 and the last either in the spring or summer of 1777—and that the times of his actual service were seven months from his first enlistment, nine months from his second enlistment and three years and three months from his last enlistment as aforesaid.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state. (Signed) John Alben
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me. Joseph R. Huntting, Clk